Weekend Ag News Round-up - Cattle on Feed + Ag News - Aug 21

 NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 5%

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.32 million cattle on feed on August 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 5% from last year. Placements during July totaled 445,000 head, up 2% from 2021. Fed cattle marketings for the month of July totaled 485,000 head, down 6% from last year. Other disappearance during July totaled 10,000 head, unchanged from last year.



Iowa Cattle on Feed down 5%

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 570,000 head on August 1, 2022, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was down 2 percent from July and down 5 percent from August 1, 2021. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 490,000 head on feed, down 6 percent from last month but up 2 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,060,000 head, down 4 percent from last month and down 2 percent from last year.

Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during July 2022 totaled 56,000 head, down 7 percent from June but unchanged from July 2021. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 56,000 head, up 70 percent from June and up 51 percent from July 2021. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 112,000 head, up 20 percent from both June 2022 and July 2021.

Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during July 2022 totaled 64,000 head, down 6 percent from June but up 21 percent from July 2021. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 83,000 head, up 48 percent from June and up 28 percent from July 2021. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 147,000 head, up 19 percent from June and up 25 percent from July 2021. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 5,000 head.



United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.2 million head on August 1, 2022. The inventory was 1 percent above August 1, 2021. This is the second highest August 1 inventory since the series began in 1996.

Cattle on Feed, by State (1,000 hd - % Aug 1 '21)
Colorado .......:              1,040          100            
Iowa .............:                570             95           
Kansas ..........:              2,350           98          
Nebraska ......:              2,320          105         
Texas ............:              2,850          105        

Placements in feedlots during July totaled 1.77 million head, 2 percent above 2021. Net placements were 1.71 million head. During July, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 410,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 280,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 400,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 405,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 195,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 75,000 head.

Placements by State (1,000 hd - % July '21)
Colorado .......:                 160           100         
Iowa .............:                   56           100            
Kansas ..........:                  450           102           
Nebraska ......:                  445           102         
Texas ............:                  395           107          

Marketings of fed cattle during July totaled 1.83 million head, 4 percent below 2021.  Other disappearance totaled 56,000 head during July, 2 percent above 2021.

Marketings by State (1,000 hd - % July '21)
Colorado .......:                 175           100         
Iowa .............:                   64           121          
Kansas ..........:                  440            94          
Nebraska ......:                  485            94           
Texas ............:                  390            95        



Arrest Made in Connection with July 13 Landmark Implement Fire in Adams County

Investigators with the Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency arrested a Hastings man following an
investigation into the July 13 fire at Landmark Implement, 4815 West Hwy 6.

The fire was determined to be a crime of arson. Investigators developed information that Mitchell Linder, 30, of Hastings, an employee of Landmark Implement, was responsible for the fire.  Investigators arrested Linder on Thursday, August 18 without incident. He has been lodged in the Adams County Jail on the charge of 2nd Degree Arson.

Fire damages are estimated at around six million dollars.



Harvest Aid Herbicide Options in Soybean
Amit Jhala - NE Extension Weed Management Specialist

As we get close to soybean harvest, some herbicides can be applied as harvest aids (desiccant) to desiccate weeds and improve harvest operation. Glyphosate-resistant waterhemp and Palmer amaranth are widespread and if they were not controlled early in the season, they can interfere with soybean harvest.

While weeds can interfere with harvest equipment, some producers see the benefit of a harvest aid in creating a more rapid and efficient harvest. Soybean can reach physiological maturity but may have an excess of green stems and leaves. Additionally, a harvest aid may allow a producer to get into the field a few days earlier than allowing the plant to senesce naturally. A few factors need to be considered when deciding on a harvest aid, including application timing, avoiding grain loss due to shattering or seed quality decline, pre-harvest interval associated with herbicide application and harvestability due to green stem.

Harvest Aid Herbicide Options in Soybean
Aim (Carfentrazone-ethyl): Apply 1.0 to 1.5 fl oz/acre of Aim 2EC as a harvest aid to desiccate certain broadleaf weeds. It should be applied when soybean is matured, and the grain has begun to dry down. Pre-harvest interval is 3 days. Do not feed treated soybean forage or hay to livestock.

Glyphosate: Glyphosate can be applied to Roundup Ready and conventional soybean after 80% leaf drop. Glyphosate will not be effective for drying out Roundup Ready or Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybean because they are resistant to glyphosate. Additionally, glyphosate will not be effective on glyphosate-resistant weeds. Apply up to 0.75 lb ae/acre (32 fl oz/acre of a 3 lb ae/gal formulation) in 20 gallons of water/acre to dry out weeds that may interfere with harvest. Allow a minimum of 7 days between application and harvest. Use of a non-ionic surfactant (NIS) plus ammonium sulfate (AMS) in the spray solution to improve control. Do not graze or harvest the treated crop for livestock feed within 25 days of application. Do not use on soybean grown for seed.

Gramoxone SL (Paraquat): Gramoxone is a contact herbicide and should be applied at 1 pint/acre plus nonionic surfactant (1 qt/100 gallons of spray) to soybean that is mature (65% or more of the seed pods have reached mature brown color or seed moisture is 30% or less. A pre-harvest interval of 15 days should be maintained. Do not graze or harvest for forage or hay. Special training is required to apply this herbicide.

Sharpen (Saflufenacil): Sharpen is a broadleaf weed herbicide. Apply sharpen at 1 to 2 fl oz/acre after soybean physiological maturity when greater than 50% leaf drop has occurred and remaining leaves are yellow. Pre harvest interval of 3 days should be maintained. Include MSO plus AMS for better efficacy of Sharpen. Sharpen will not have effect on grass weeds.



UNL-CAP Webinar: Using Cost of Production Information in a Good Risk Management Culture
Presented by the Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University of Nebraska
Time:  Aug 25, 2022 12:00 PM

Glennis McClure, farm and ranch management analyst
Jay Parsons, farm and ranch management specialist, UNL Center for Ag Profitability

Establishing a good risk management culture is one of the keys to success in business. This is especially true for beginning farmers with modest equity positions and high input costs. In this webinar, they will discuss the principles of using enterprise budgeting to establish costs of production. Then they will explore how to use this information in a good risk management culture to effectively manage risk. They will provide a brief overview of new enterprise budgeting resources available from the Center for Agricultural Profitability and demonstrate some of the features designed to give you the information you need to make good decisions in the risky environment of modern agriculture.

Find more information and register here:  https://cap.unl.edu/webinars.  



Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for September

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in September. The clinics are one-on-one in-person meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor. These are not group sessions, and they are confidential.

The attorney and financial advisor specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial and business planning, transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, debt structure and cash flow, agricultural disaster programs, and other relevant matters. Here is an opportunity to obtain an independent, outside perspective on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.

Clinic Dates
    Tuesday, Sept. 6 — Norfolk
    Friday, Sept. 9 — Fairbury
    Tuesday, Sept. 13 —  North Platte
    Tuesday, Sept. 13 — Ogallala
    Tuesday, Sept. 20 — Norfolk
    Tuesday, Sept. 20 — Valentine

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska.




351 Century and Heritage Farm Families Honored at Iowa State Fair
 
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson and Vice President Joe Heinrich honored 351 Iowa farm families with Century or Heritage Farm designations at the Iowa State Fair last week. The program celebrates farms that have been owned by the same families for 100 and 150 years, respectively.

“I always look forward to honoring our Century and Heritage Farm families and hearing stories about their incredible journeys,” said Secretary Naig. “This event is about recognizing the legacy and resiliency of the family farms that make up the fabric of our agriculture communities.”

“Agriculture and Iowa’s farm families are the backbone of the state and an essential part of our rural communities and economy,” said Brent Johnson, Iowa Farm Bureau President. “We are honored to co-sponsor the Century and Heritage Farm programs celebrating multi-generational farm families that have persevered over 100 or 150 years and kept their farms in the family.”

(last name, first name - town, county - award)
Karhoff, Cecelia - Anthon, Woodbury - Century
Oehlerking, Dale - Sioux City, Woodbury -Century
Townley Farms - Sioux City, Woodbury - Century
Daley, John F. - Blencoe, Monona - Century
Lund, Roger - Onawa, Monona - Century
Schleis, Richard L. - Mapleton, Monona     - Century
Pitt, Fred - Logan, Harrison - Century
Roberts, Kenneth David - Dunlap, Harrison - Century
Steenbock, Greg & Lorna - Persia, Harrison - Century
Bates, Elton - Oakland, Pottawattamie - Century
Chambers, Roger & Jill - Treynor, Pottawattamie - Century
Pierce, Roger & Connie - Hancock, Pottawattamie - Century
Smith, LuAnn - Macedonia, Pottawattamie - Century
Sorlien, Sandra G. - Underwood, Pottawattamie - Heritage
Carmichael Family Farm - Harlan, Shelby - Heritage
Plagman Family, Irwin, Shelby - Century
Souter, David & Carol - Manilla, Shelby - Century
Asmussen, Diane (Weber) - Dunlap, Crawford - Century
Boeck, Charles & Joan - Denison, Crawford - Heritage
Clausen, Delbert - Schleswig, Crawford - Century
Kruse Family Farm - Manning, Crawford - Century
Kruthoff Farms - Arion, Crawford - Century
Petersen, Larry & Marianne - Denison, Crawford - Century
Schmadeke, Lonny & Susan - Kiron, Crawford - Heritage
Vogt, Jeri - Dow City, Crawford - Century
Witt Revocable Trust - Manilla, Crawford - Century

The Century Farm program began in 1976 as part of the Nation’s Bicentennial Celebration. This year, 232 Century Farms and 119 Heritage Farms were recognized. Photos of the recipients will be available at flickr.com/photos/iowaagriculture/albums.

To date, 20,773 Century Farms and 1,685 Heritage Farms have been recognized across the state of Iowa.



'OMG Smoked Beef Ribs' earns championship at the 58th IFBF Cookout Contest at the State Fair

After the wood fired flames extinguished along the Iowa State Fair’s Grand Concourse, Steve Heaberlin of Warren County was crowned the 2022 Iowa Farm Bureau ‘Cookout Champion’ of the 58th annual cookout contest last week at the Iowa State Fair. Heaberlin’s coffee-rubbed smoked beef ribs were voted as the championship-winning dish among dozens of qualifiers from around the state at the Farm Bureau Day tradition.  

Heaberlin’s meaty fall-off-the-bone ribs were favored by the judges over a wide array of entries from some of the state’s best backyard chefs during the decades long Iowa State Fair tradition. In addition to being crowned the overall Farm Bureau Cookout Champion, Heaberlin also won first place in the beef division.

Competitors in the Iowa Farm Bureau Cookout Contest earned entry by smoking, grilling or barbecuing their way to victory in a county Farm Bureau contest in one of eight categories: Beef, Combo/Specialty, Lamb, Pork, Poultry, Turkey, Team or Youth.  Heaberlin qualified winning the beef division during the Warren County Farm Bureau Cookout Contest, one of more than a dozen local cookout contests held earlier this summer.     

The delicately sliced slices of Heaberlin’s beef ribs beat out entries like dry rubbed prime rib, stuffed pork loin, baby back pork ribs, smoked chicken and turkey dishes. Other exotic entries like elk burgers, lamb fajitas, pheasant kabobs, smoked pork belly tacos and various bacon wrapped dishes caught the judges’ eyes and impressed fairgoers eager for samples and recipe cards from the participants.

“The Farm Bureau Cookout Contest has become a staple of the state fair and is a great way to showcase the diversity of Iowa livestock production and Iowa’s best backyard cooks,” said Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) President Brent Johnson. "The dedication and passion from today’s contestants reflect the virtues of Iowa farmers committed to responsible livestock care, and the cookout contest is a great tradition celebrating Iowans’ affinity for meat and the farmers who raise it.”  

Heaberlin’s championship winning beef ribs topped several other beef entries in route to being selected as the contest’s overall winner. He received $300, the champion’s crown and a trophy as the 2022 Iowa Farm Bureau Cookout Contest Champion. Heaberlin also won $300 for winning the beef division.

Other first place winners, county contest represented and their categories were: Michelle Bruce, Benton County, lamb; Joe Renze, Hardin County, pork; Sean Van Cannon, Boone County, poultry; Robert Pepin Adair County, turkey and Scott Degeneffe, Boone County, combo/specialty. All category winners received a $300 prize.

Second place finishers, county contest represented and their categories were: Gary Klahn, Clinton County, beef; Shannon Glaser, Adair County, lamb; Rex Crosser, Hardin County, pork; Theresa Glaser, Adair County, poultry; Judy Hanson, Adair County, turkey and Kim Pepin, Adair County, combo/specialty.  All second-place division winners received $150.

Winners in special categories included youth first place, Kelsey Kruse of Lee County and the team winners, Team Parker of Boone County. Kruse received a gas grill valued at $1,000 and $300, courtesy of the Iowa Propane Gas Association. The team winners, the Parker Family of Boone, received $300. Scott Degeneffe and his assistants won the praises of the judges for their flair behind the grill and engagement with fairgoers and received the $200 showmanship prize.  

Prize sponsors for the Farm Bureau Cookout Contest include: Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Bureau Financial Services, GROWMARK, Inc., Iowa Propane Gas Association, Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Beef Industry Council, the Iowa Turkey Federation, Iowa Poultry Association, and the Iowa Sheep and Wool Promotion Board.

Visit www.iowafarmbureau.com for Heaberlin’s championship-winning ‘OMG Beef Ribs’ recipe and marinade and view other recipes from the 2022 Cookout Contest.



Learning Farms Webinar to Examine N-loss Results with Cover Crops and Tillage

Peter O’Brien, research agronomist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, will be the featured speaker during the Aug. 24 Iowa Learning Farms conservation webinar taking place at noon CDT. O’Brien’s research is focused on evaluation of different strategies to diversify agriculture in the corn belt in space and time. His studies aim to quantify the effects of those strategies on crop production, environmental quality and long-term systemwide resilience.

Iowa Learning Farms is an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach conservation and water quality education program.

In the webinar, “Cover Cropping and Tillage Show Mixed Results on Nitrogen Losses,” O’Brien will share the results of field studies designed to measure crop yields, nutrient losses and long-term impacts of cover crop and no-till practices. He will discuss the studied assessments of nitrate losses, nitrous oxide emissions and crop production in field systems. In addition, O’Brien will cover trade-offs and balanced approaches to management practices that can address environmental goals without sacrificing yield.

“There is great demand for environmentally sustainable farming, but it is important to remember that there is no single practice or strategy that fits all needs or addresses all issues,” said O’Brien. “Our results show that rye cover crops provide good outcomes in reducing nitrate losses to drainage, but achieving all of our environmental quality goals requires approaches that incorporate multiple practices. I hope that participants in this webinar will come away with a better understanding of how the interaction of tillage practices and cover cropping can have a major effect on both crop production and environmental quality endpoints.”

Participants in Iowa Learning Farms conservation webinars are encouraged to ask questions of the presenters. People from all backgrounds and areas of interest are encouraged to join.
Webinar access instructions

To participate in the live webinar, shortly before noon CDT, Aug. 24:
    Click this URL, or type this web address into your internet browser: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172. Or, go to https://iastate.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 364 284 172.
    Or, join from a dial-in phone line by dialing +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923; meeting ID 364 284 172.

The webinar will also be recorded and archived on the ILF website, so that it can be watched at any time. Archived webinars are available at https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars.

A Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit has been applied for. Those who participate in the live webinar are eligible. Information about how to apply to receive the CEU will be provided at the end of the live webinar.

Upcoming webinars in the series
    Aug. 31: Billy Beck, Iowa State University.
    Sept. 7: Emily Waring, USDA Agricultural Research Service.
    Sept. 14: Brian Dougherty, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
    Sept. 21: Trisha Moore, Kansas State University.



There's Still Time to Apply for ASA's Conservation Legacy Awards!

Share the story of how conservation is part of your farm operation and you could be recognized with a Conservation Legacy Award. The awards recognize farm management practices of U.S. soybean farmers that are both environmentally friendly and profitable.

Are you using a reduced tillage practice on your farm? Do you grow cover crops? Have you taken steps to improve energy efficiency or water quality? These are just a few conservation practices used on some farms today that can help produce sustainable U.S. soybeans. Different regions of the country have their own unique challenges and ways to approach conservation and sustainability. We want to hear your farm’s conservation story!

All U.S. soybean farmers are eligible to enter to win a Conservation Legacy Award. Entries are judged on soil management, water management, input management, conservation, environmental management and sustainability.

The selection process for these awards is divided into four regions – Midwest, Upper Midwest, Northeast and South. One farmer from each of these regions will be recognized at the 2023 Commodity Classic in Orlando, FL, and one will be named the National Conservation Legacy Award recipient.

Award Winners Receive:
    An expense-paid trip for two to Commodity Classic March 9-11, 2023, in Orlando, FL.
    Recognition at the ASA Awards Banquet at Commodity Classic.
    A feature story and news segment on their farm in Farm Journal magazine and on the AgDay television show.
    Video on each award winner’s farm and conservation practices.

The Conservation Legacy Awards are sponsored by the American Soybean Association, BASF, Bayer, Nutrien, the United Soybean Board/Soybean Checkoff and Valent U.S.A.

More information on past winners and how to submit an application is available in the “About” section under “Awards” on the ASA website https://soygrowers.com/about/awards/conservation-legacy/.

All applications must be submitted by Sept. 1, 2022.



Environmental Footprint Research Discussed at Lamb Summit

The American Lamb Board’s benchmark research on the environmental footprint of the American lamb industry is within months of completion. Michigan State University researchers Richard Ehrhardt, Ph.D., and Erin Recktenwald, Ph.D., gave American Lamb Summit participants a preview of the study.

The focus of this research – funded by the mandatory American Lamb Checkoff – is collecting data from representative American sheep farms/ranches and feedlots related to greenhouse gas emissions. The four types of operations represented are: intensive production, intensive grazing, extensive grazing and range.

From this data, MSU researchers will compare the amount of greenhouse gases required to produce 1 kilogram of lamb from each production type.

“We must have solid, actual data on American lamb’s environmental footprint,” says ALB Chairman Peter Camino. “We need to have science to accurately tell our U.S. lamb story instead of the assumptive data that has put a black eye on our entire industry. Plus, as an industry, it’s time we have benchmark data so we are able to work on specific weaknesses and build on strengths.”

Major food production industries in the United States have completed research to establish GHG emissions per 1 kilogram of product, points out Ehrhardt. American lamb is grown and marketed in a variety of ways. The MSU project is the first of its kind, so extra care is being taken to develop measurements that can be used over time, he added.

Even though the research isn’t complete, ALB has increased its communications about sustainability during 2022. For example, earlier this year outreach on the benefits of grazing sheep for forage control in solar fields was popular.

“Grazing is a real benefit sheep bring, but consumers and influencers aren’t going to know that until we share our story,” says Camino.

ALB is completing a new documentary-style video on the benefits of grazing, featuring actual producers covering topics such as fire suppression and regenerative soil practices. In addition, food influencers from urban areas have been taken on sheep farm/ranch tours and information on sustainability will be collected in the upcoming National Lamb Quality Audit.